Side Lying Scissors

Side Lying Scissors Exercise Description

Side Lying Scissors targets the hip abductors and adductors while your trunk stabilizers keep the pelvis steady. Lying on your side lets you train the outer hip (gluteus medius/minimus and tensor fasciae latae) as the top leg moves away from midline, and the inner thigh (adductor group) as the bottom leg lifts to meet it. The movement emphasizes controlled hip motion in the frontal plane with a neutral spine and stacked hips/shoulders. Done with body weight only, it’s a straightforward way to practice lateral hip strength and pelvic control without loading the lower back or relying on momentum.

Muscle Groups: Glutes, Hips
Target Muscles: Adductor Magnus, Gluteus Medius
Assisting Muscles: Adductor Longus, Gluteus Minimus, Tensor Fasciae Latae
Stabilizing Muscles: External Obliques, Internal Obliques, Multifidus, Quadratus Lumborum, Transversus Abdominis
Body Area: Lower Body
Body Parts: Hips, Legs, Upper Legs
Body Surface: Inner, Side
Body Symmetry: Unilateral
Equipment: Bodyweight
Exercise Patterns: Other
Exercise Type: Strength
Functional Grouping: Hip Abductors, Hip Adductors, Hip Extensors
Joint Involvement: Single-joint
Muscle Location: Inner Thigh, Upper Glutes
Movement Direction: Lateral
Muscle Position: Lateral, Medial
Gender: Female

How To Do The Side Lying Scissors Exercise

‘- Lie on your side with your body in a straight line. Stack shoulders and hips. Support your head with your lower arm; place the top hand lightly on the floor in front of your chest.
– Extend both legs long with knees straight and feet in line with your hips. Keep toes facing forward (neutral hip rotation).
– Brace gently through your midsection to maintain a neutral spine—no side-bending or arching.
– Lift the top leg a comfortable distance without letting the pelvis roll backward. Pause with control.
– Keeping the top leg steady, lift the bottom leg toward it by squeezing the inner thigh. Aim to bring the legs close without letting them touch or crossing.
– Lower the bottom leg slowly, then lower the top leg with control. Keep the movement smooth—no swinging.
– Maintain steady breathing; avoid breath-holding.
– Common form checks: hips stay stacked, ribs down, neck long, shoulder relaxed away from the ear. If you feel the pelvis tipping or the trunk rocking, reduce the range of motion.

Side Lying Scissors Tips

‘- Keep your body in a straight line with shoulders and hips stacked as you lie on your side.
– Support your head with your lower arm and place your top hand lightly on the floor in front of your chest.
– Extend both legs long with knees straight and feet in line with your hips.
– Keep toes facing forward to maintain neutral hip rotation.
– Gently brace your midsection to keep a neutral spine—avoid side-bending or arching.
– Lift the top leg only as high as you can without letting the pelvis roll backward.
– Hold the top leg steady while you lift the bottom leg toward it by squeezing the inner thigh.
– Bring the legs close together without letting them touch or cross.
– Lower the bottom leg first, then the top leg, slowly and without swinging.
– Keep hips stacked, ribs down, neck long, and the top shoulder relaxed away from your ear; if your pelvis tips or trunk rocks, reduce your range of motion.

Side Lying Scissors Beginner Introduction

Side Lying Scissors is a bodyweight, side-lying leg movement that highlights controlled action at the hips while the rest of the body stays quiet and aligned. In this exercise, the legs stretch long in line with the torso, then move apart and toward each other in a smooth, scissor-like pattern. The outer hip and glutes of the upper leg work as it travels away from the center of the body, while the inner thigh of the lower leg becomes active as it lifts upward toward the top leg.

Muscles around the waist and torso contribute by steadying the pelvis and ribs, so the work is centered in the hips rather than the lower back. The position encourages a straight, side-lying posture with hips and shoulders neatly stacked and the spine following its natural curve. Movement happens mainly in a side-to-side direction, with an emphasis on control instead of momentum. Paired with calm, consistent breathing, this creates a straightforward way to explore lateral hip strength, inner-thigh engagement, and pelvic stability using only your own body weight and relatively little strain on the lower back.